


Who Cares Where We Go?

by HiHannah



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: I'm Sorry, M/M, Songfic, but relatively happy ending, inspired by 'Afterglow' by Wilkinson, kind of sad, you might cry though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 08:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3320555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiHannah/pseuds/HiHannah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico, Will, Grover and Butch go on a quest to find Leo, because Nico felt him leave the Underworld. When they find him and Calypso, they have to face a sea monster. Then something goes wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Cares Where We Go?

**Author's Note:**

> Another requested songfic! Yay! I'm sorry it's short and a bit rubbish, and very sad. I apologise for any tears. Read at your own risk.

Nico was wondering if this had been a good idea.

 

He had felt Leo leave the Underworld. Leo was alive. When he told the others, they couldn’t stop smiling, crying, cheering and hugging. Their happiness was immeasurable. They immediately wanted to set up a quest.

Nico remembered thinking ‘ _It’s my fault he died in the first place, I’ll get him back.’_

He volunteered for the quest, Will joined him ‘for medical reasons’. Nico was glad to have him by his side. He definitely had a tiny crush on the son of Apollo. Maybe not that tiny. Butch and Grover had gladly accepted. The other ‘Heroes of Olympus’ were either too busy, or deserved a break. Maybe Nico did too, but he was too stubborn to care. He needed to get Leo back.

 

They had met Leo and Calypso while they were flying over the ocean. Butch had been able to arrange some Pegasi for them. Leo and Calypso had their own way of transport, of course.

Right after they had greeted them, they turned around to go back to Camp Half Blood. That’s when it happened. That’s when it appeared.

 

The colossal sea monster. It was much like a dragon, but a thousand times more terrifying. It was so old and rare, no one had even heard of it. It was a very dark shade of blue-ish green, scarily close to black. Like it was supposed to be hiding, somewhere deep down in the ocean. But here it was, nearly glowing in the light of the setting sun. The snake-like body was slimy and gross, but the heads (it had five of those) were scaly and hard as- as- Nico didn’t even have the words to describe it. If you stabbed its head, your sword broke. If you slashed its body, your sword passed right through it. They couldn’t really fight it, because they were in mid-air, above the ocean. Nico wished Percy was with them, or Jason, or everyone. Maybe they would’ve had a chance. Grover, Butch and Will fought bravely, but bravery isn’t going to get you anywhere against a monster such as this one. Its teeth and tails were everywhere. They didn’t know its weak spots. They were absolutely hopeless. Leo tried to burn it, but he also wanted to protect Calypso, who wanted nothing more than to fight the filthy monster. Leo didn’t let her, so her attacks went to waste, and so did Leo’s. Nico did his very best, but he couldn’t do much with just his sword. And he had promised on the Styx not to use his powers if it there was another way, and he didn’t want to risk it. If he died, or whatever happened to you when you broke such a vow, the others would surely die. So he kept stabbing and slashing without achieving anything.

Then Will did something stupid.

 

Will attacked it from behind. But if a giant sea snake has five heads, you can’t really sneak up on it. The monster turned three of its heads towards Will and tried to bite him, Will couldn’t get away. One of the monster’s teeth slashed into Will’s arm. It left a nasty gash, with green smoke coming out of it. Poison.

Will fell of his Pegasus and Nico steered his towards the falling demigod. He caught him just before he hit the water. Up close, the wounds on Will’s arms looked even worse. It made Nico want to vomit, but he didn’t have time. He made sure Will was lying on the Pegasus in a way he wouldn’t fall, again, and then he quickly got out of the monster’s range. Leo scorched one of the monster’s tails, Calypso tried stabbing at its eyes. Butch did his very best to distract the snake, while Grover tried to work his nature magic. Since they were in the air and above the ocean, nature magic didn’t do much other than confusing the monster. But everything that bought them time was greatly appreciated.

Nico desperately needed more time, their healer was in need of medical attention. And that wasn’t really Nico’s area, but he had to try. He couldn’t lose Will.

 

Nico landed on a near-by pile of rocks in the sea, he had no idea why they were there, but he was grateful for them. He got off his Pegasus and carefully pulled Will down with him. He ripped open Will’s shirt to get a closer look at the wounds, but he heard a load cry for help from behind him. He turned around to see Calypso, hanging from one of the monster’s heads. Clinging on for dear life while screaming for help. Leo was too busy with the other heads, he couldn’t get closer. Butch and Grover would never make it in time. Nico jumped onto his Pegasus and raced towards Calypso, he couldn’t get too close either, so he did the only thing he could think of.

He shadow-travelled.

The shadows took him, he felt like he came home, but he also felt the ghosts and shadows pulling him closer. He knew that if he let them, he wouldn’t return. So he fought, he focussed on the world of daylight, he thought of his friends, of Calypso who needed him, of Will who he needed to come back for. He couldn’t lose them.

The light was blinding, but he grabbed Calypso’s hand. Now he was hanging on the same head, no way out. He had to do it again. He summoned the shadows and let them engulf him, together with Calypso. The only thing that kept him from fading was Calypso’s hand in his. The shadows disappeared and they were standing on the rocks next to Will. Calypso said a quick ‘thank you’ and jumped on the nearest Pegasus and stormed towards the battle.

 

Nico collapsed next to Will, the shadows were still trying to pull him away from the world of the living. Will’s breathing and pulse were slowing down. He was terrifyingly close to death, Nico could feel it. Nico himself wasn’t any better, not poisoned, but fading. He didn’t want to fade, he didn’t want to go. He didn’t know where he would go, what he would be, if he faded away. What would happen if a demigod melted into shadows. Would he go to the Underworld? Or would he become a voiceless, nameless ghost? A mere shadow in a realm that is nothing but shadows.

Nico brought his head closer to Will’s. He could hear Will’s weak heartbeat, feel his shaky breath. Will opened his mouth. Out came a stream of meaningless coughs, but his face suggested that they were meant to be words. Nico listened closer as Will tried so hard to tell him something.

_His last words,_ Nico realised.

“Nico,” Will choked.

“I’m right here with you.”

“You’re...you’re not- you’re... fading”

“I know. It’s okay.”

“No... I can’t die. Have- have to tell you...”

“Tell me what, Will?”

“Tell you... I- I love... you.”

“I love you too, Will,” Nico kissed Will’s forehead, “I had a massive crush on you.”

“I don’t want... to lose you.”

“Shh, Will. You’ll go to the Elysium.”

“I will- I’ll see you... there.”

“Maybe.”

Will looked so scared and confused.

“I don’t know where I will go, Will. I’m fading, melting into shadows. I’m becoming a ghost. I don’t know if I end up in the Underworld or somewhere in between the land of the dead and the world of the living, in the realm of shadows. I don’t know, Will. Even if I go to the Underworld, I don’t know if I would make the Elysium. After what I did to Octavian, to Bryce, and Leo... But you’ll go there, you’ll be happy.”

Will gathered all of the power he had left in his poisoned body, to stroke Nico’s cheek.

“I’m ready, Nico. Who cares where we go?” he whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Nico began to dissolve, the shadows that came with the rising night, took his body with them. Will’s heart stopped. And Nico thought Will was right.

_Who cares where we go?_


End file.
